Aging Lovebird Becoming Clumsy

[groovy_kinda_lovebird]

I have an 11-year-old peach-faced lovebird named Groovy. He is a solo bird, and he has been with me since he was six weeks old. He is a doll, and he is the friendliest, sweetest bird ever. Lately I have noticed that he is becoming sort of clumsy when he is jumping around his cage. When I gave him a bath earlier this week, he slipped off my arm, and last week I was awakened by a loud squawking in the middle of the night. I think he missed a perch in his cage.

He has a variety of perches in his cage of various widths and textures. He also has a lava rock to sit on, and of course MANY other toys and a swing. He has a little bird tent that he loves, but he chews through the hangers, so it is a challenge to keep it up. His appetite is normal, as is his activity level and squawking. He still wants to come out and play, although in the past year he has spent more time snuggling in the sleeve of my shirt.

I suspect that his loss of coordination may be age related, and I would be very grateful if anyone can give me suggestions about these symptoms. If it is age related, how can I make things more comfortable for him? I don’t want him to feel like he is going to fall from his perches. Any suggestions about how to modify his cage as he ages?

Thanks so much!

Groovy’s person

[Bubblelady]

I think it was about age 10 or 11 that Buddy started using her happy hut to sleep in for the first time in her life. She also started falling off my shoulder when I was moving around & after a few falls, she moved from being a shoulder-perching girl to a ride-inside-my-shirt girl. I didn't realized it at first but she was developing arthritis in her feet. When it got bad enough--her poor little toes got all gnarled up & she had trouble walking--I took her to the vet, without much hope--not knowing it was just arthritis.Turns out there are anti inflametory, pain killing meds for birds! I gave it to her twice a day for about 3 weeks, with great results. After that, I used it only "as needed". I gave her more rope perches, arranged like spiral stair cases, so she could "walk" up & down rather than hop about. Toward the end her happy hut was on the floor of the cage, with a ceramic heat lamp on the outside of her cage, at one end of the hut. She varied how close she wanted to be to the lamp, sometimes as close as she could get, sometimes at the opposite end of the hut. I also started wearing 2 shirts--the inner one for her to hold on to, and the outer one to hold her on to me. The last few months I had to be sure the outer shirt was tucked in because sometimes she even lost her grip inside my shirt.

Don't know if that is what is going on with your baby, but it's something to watch for. It took quite a while for the arthritis to develop sufficiently to require medication. Good luck to you and your baby!

[graushill]

Hi,

I love to read about older lovies, since mine are getting up there in years :). As for your question, my oldest lovie favors thicker rope perches since he almost can stand on them without having to curl his toes all that much.

Good luck with your Groovy!

Gloria

[Flip]

I have a 16 year old lovie named Icharus. I raised him from an egg. Over the last few years he's gotten progressively more clumsy, poor little guy. He didn't have a happy hut until he was 14. It took him about 3 weeks to get used to it, and now he spends most of his day in it, napping. He's got arthritis in his feet too. About the same time I added the happy hut I bought some new rope perches and reorganized his cage so that he could climb around on the rope perches instead of having to hop/fly.

He's always out if someone is home. It's only in the past few months that he's been having more difficulty flying. He is mostly just a shoulder bird now, but he has some difficulty holding on these days, so he'll perch on the counter until someone is sitting down, and then fly over to snuggle.

It might be worth getting a platform perch like one of these: http://www.gonzobirdcakes.com/platform_pads.htm

Icky loves his. I think it's easier for him to stand than perch these days. He's still a sprightly little guy, though. Although he is starting to look like a little old man.

[Bubblelady]

It might be worth getting a platform perch like one of these: http://www.gonzobirdcakes.com/platform_pads.htm

Icky loves his.


Wow! Buddy would have LOVED one of those. Sure wish I had known about them a year or two ago :( What a lovely adaptation for a senior birdie. Go Icky!!!

[Pips mom]

I have a ton of those little platforms for my birds.....they all love them! I can't imagine putting those covers over them though.....mine would poop all over them. I noticed that the platforms themselves are 8 dollars there and here they are only 3.99 for the smaller ones which is the size I have and they are perfect for lovies and tiels. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+11295+8367&pcatid=8367

[Janie]

This thread is of great interest to me since Oliver is at least 12 and probably more like 13+ years old. He has never used a happy hut but I'm going to try one (again) in his cage and I really like those platform perches in that link. I think he might be agreeable to that. Hmmmm.....thanks for the suggestions! :)

[wilkiecoco]

kiwi's not an older bird, only 4 now, but he loves the platform perch. he doesn't sleep on it - he has his birdy buddy he sleeps next to - but he will spend time on it, dragging his food, toys and treats there to relax. Surprisingly, he never poops on it - well now I've just jinxed myself!! :whistle::omg: Seems like it would be a great perch for older birds to feel more balanced on. :)

[cp.lovebird]

I too, have a "senior" lovie, Squeaky, who is 15 years old. Over the last few years I have noticed him becoming clumsier too. I asked the vet about it and he examined Squeaky and watched him move around the travel cage. The vet thinks it is probably arthritis developing too. I have arranged his perches so he can get around easier. I noticed that sometimes he hangs out on the bottom of the cage - probably because it feels good on his feet, poor guy. Those platform perches look great - I think I'll get one too.

Good luck with Groovy!

[dieflying]

this may be sort of off topic (maybe?) but do lovebirds' eyesight tend to go at higher ages? i was just thinking of my dog (who was really the only old man we'd ever had around the house) and he completely lost his sight at the end. . . just wondering how a little ole lovie copes with clumsiness plus the eyesight . . . :)

[FuzzyAga]

I bought my perch from DrsFosterSmith and I sewed six covers for it from flannel. They do poop on it but it's easy to change. I fold up a strip of fleece and put it inside to pad the bed. Juanita and Petey relax on it and sleep on it and mate on it. :)

Juanita loves it more than Petey.

[groovy_kinda_lovebird]

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to respond. These are great ideas! Once Groovy gets done chastising me for trying to murder him (he thinks any new toy is a murder plot until he gets accustomed to it), he will enjoy all these things. I really like the little flat perches. I referred to a little tent in my post – it is technically a happy hut, and he LOVES it. It serves the dual purpose of shelter and a toy to dismantle, so he destroys them every couple of months.

Does anyone have any experience with heated perches? http://www.amazon.com/K-H-Thermo-Perch-Small/dp/B000795ZE0

One of my colleagues mentioned these to me as an alternative to a heat lamp. I am afraid of the fire danger of leaving a heat lamp on during the day. This looks like a pretty safe alternative. It looks like most problems are with large parrots dismantling the cord when they are OUTSIDE the cage. I think Groovy would really like this. Just curious to know what others think . . .

Thanks again to everyone! I am glad to know there are so many geriatric lovebirds out there. They are wonderful little companions!

Groovy’s person

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

^^ I have a heated perch, except it's the one that Dr. Foster & Smith sells. It looks almost the same, but is more straight. it's a little cheaper than the one you posted.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5771+10899&pcatid=10899

I like it. My mom's Hen likes it... it's cooler where my parents live, so you can see her sitting on it, especially in the morning. My sunny won't stand on it, but she's got a toy that hangs over it that she likes to lean on & leans on the perch. (the heated perch is perpendicular above her fave wood perch) i know she did this when she was cold becuase at other times when it got warmer, she napped across the cage, then went back to napping near it when i unplugged the power.

It doesn't get too hot, but i think the plastic might be a little slippery bc I seen both birds slide off them. you might have to wrap some sisal or clothe strip to help with grip, or maybe put it so it's over or near a platform so yours can lean on it like sunny does.

i lhaven't had it plugged in since the weather started heating up.

[Enko_chan]

Dieflying-

Lovebirds are known to get cataracts, so I imagine they can also develop other vision-related troubles, especially as they age.

[bbslovie]

Does anyone have any experience with heated perches? http://www.amazon.com/K-H-Thermo-Perch-Small/dp/B000795ZE0


Hi, thanks for reminding me, I ordered one last night. Bea will love it I'm sure! :D I also ordered one of the platform perches. I think this will be a great alternative to her sleep tent and hopefully won't encourage nestiness in my little hen! ;)

Barb :)

[lemonypickett]

I too am enjoying this thread. I liked hearing about Buddy from Bubblelady. I often wonder how to care for an aging bird. I got most of my birds within a one year period and will have a bunch of senior lovies to care for at once.